die Vier Winde
Here is Johannes …
Johannes
very sensitive, kind-hearted
not unlike me, since he is a deep-thinking, meticulous person who always points out to me that I was not handling his boat properly … but with a whimsical smile and a cheeky wink …
He likes it when things are just that way. Strong and well able to master die Vier Winde single-handedly if he has to.
A freeborn-loving spirit of the sea is how I speak of him, and I think he likes it because I only get the faintest smile, even when he looks down, as he is here.
You will like him, I think, Rita. He certainly loves your work. He is in his third year at HFBK University of Fine Arts Hamburg. Go gently with him. He would tell me off for saying this, but he is a very sensitive and kind-hearted lad.
Here’s Jak
…trouble!
It is he who takes out our boat to see his girlfriend. On the last occasion when I said,
“Jak. You just can't take our boat without asking. You are not Johannes!
"You have no experience. Sailing to Wilhelmshaven to meet your girlfriend is not allowed!”
To which he replied: “Bremerhaven. It is Bremerhaven.”
“Well, whichever port, you don't do it again … okay?”
”Yes. O K, Whatever!! Can I go now?!”
… muttering as he turned, God! How can I sail to Wilhelmshaven. It’s landlocked!
Jak is in his first year at the TUHH Hamburg. He has a very mechanical mind, loves all types of engines and is also very good at technical drawing. I suspect he will find his way into engineering; he has a very natural ability in that, but unlike Johannes, Jak likes to test boundaries. How far can he go, how close to the limit can he take a situation, what can he get away with?!
Now his love for engines means that he is often down in the engine room. He calls it his “hole”. But I have a problem, as you know. Ailsa has decided it's her retreat too!
With grateful thanks to Colton Sturgeon via Unsplash
Speaking of whom, here’s Ailsa …
Ailsa is at the University of Koblenz Landau. As a second year student, Ailsa is aiming for her master's degree, her core subject is psychology.
“This is interesting, Ailsa? I thought you were thinking about medicine.”
"I was. With all the conversations that Rita and I had, I realized that medicine alone would not satisfy me.”
“Ermmm. That is why you keep quoting‚ Doctor Nadine Thomas says …'"
“Oh come on Ian! I only do this to rile you !! I like to see how you will react !!!”
“Girls!”
“Sexist!! You can’t say that.”
“Women !!!”
“Gender!!!!! You can't say that either! I’ll tell Rita and Silke and Swantje and Sandra and Carol and Vanessa and Meg and Suzie and Caroline!
“Young lady! On yer bike !!!!!!! in English, Ailsa!!!”
And of course, Rita, as you know, Ailsa loves to race the big ships on the Rhine. That brings Johannes into hot water! But hey ho! Children! Fun!! And which reminds me too of Silke, one time Firefighter, linguist, always setting herself physical and mental tests of endurance! Behind the scenes, I truly take my hat off to the girls!
Which brings me to Caroline and Suzie … my nieces and twins.
Now, as you know, both love the sea. Suzie is currently in Antartica with her fiancé, and Caroline, not to put too fine a point on it, sailed Atlantic Challenger five years ago across the Atlantic, so when I’m up against it with the boys, I tend to quietly ask for back-up. Caroline has a way of pointing out that Johannes might try doing something a little better (I then go below deck giggling) and Suzie has her more direct City Planner’s approach … “I don’t think that’s a good idea Jak, and what’s more you’re not going to take us to Bremerhaven again! I mean, good god, have you sailed the English Channel? (That even pulled me up short - from below deck) - and to his muttering “No, of course I haven’t. Why would I?” came the broadside of a reply “Well I have, many times, and what’s more at more than 27 knots. Game set and match. Oh, and by the way, I’m in the top eight of the world’s womens’ snooker championships. So want a game? Just bring it on lad!” Methinks Jak went a step too far, because Suzie is not one for bragging, but when a point has to be made, well, it has to be made!
Jak kam herunter. "Ian, ich sehe, du genießt deinen Kaffee wie immer. Es gibt zu viele Mädchen auf der Vier Winde. “
„Ja, ich denke das könnte so sein. Aber andererseits waren Sie sehr glücklich, als Ihre Freundin aus Bremen - oder war es Wilhemshaven - letztes Wochenende hier war…! Mein Rat? Bleib unauffällig! “
"Du bist überhaupt keine Hilfe, Ian. Ich werde mit Rita sprechen. "
"Okay. Aber du wirst vielleicht feststellen, dass du mehr annimmst, als du erwartet hast ... hahaha ... Kaffee? "
*
Jak came down. “Ian, I see you’re enjoying your coffee, as usual. There are too many girls on die Vier Winde.”
“Yes, I guess that might be so. But then again, you were very happy when your girlfriend from Bremen - or was it Wilhemshaven - was on here last weekend…! My advice? Keep a low profile!”
“You’re no help at all Ian. I’ll speak with Rita.”
“Okay. But you might find you’re taking on more than you bargained for … hahaha … Coffee?”
Caroline and Suzie aboard Flying High between lockdowns, Portsmouth, United Kingdom, August 2020
Caroline former Crew Member and Helmsman Atlantic Challenger, the author’s Mother and head of the family in 2015, and Suzie, London City Planner, Marine Biologist and one of the Top 8 World Womens’ Snooker Championships
And so to us … the owners of die Vier Winde
Rita of Koblenz with her daughter Swantje and Grandson Ben, der Steurman (ein Foto nicht enthalten)
What we don’t talk about on die Vier Winde is not worth knowing about!!! We have a great crew. They love sailing … we love being the passengers!
“Rita, Ian, you’d better hold on down there, we’re about to turn into wind and change tack full rudder. Is everything secure?”
“It is Johannes. Take her around. Let’s race the wind today my lad!!”
Warten Sie mal!! … … ALLES ÜBER … …LASST SIE LOS!!!! … LASS UNS GEGEN DEN WIND RENNEN!!!!!
“Aye Aye, hold on … … ALL ABOUT … … LET HER GO!!!! … LET’S RACE THE WIND!!!
20 March 2020
Racing the Wind …
Kenneth Thomas Webb
Liverpool
December 23, 2020
All Rights Reserved
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© Kenneth Thomas Webb 2021
One of the Fifteen Founding Members of Leaders Lodge
Ken Webb is a writer and proofreader. His website, kennwebb.com, showcases his work as a writer, blogger and podcaster, resting on his successive careers as a police officer, progressing to a junior lawyer in succession and trusts as a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, a retired officer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and latterly, for three years, the owner and editor of two lifestyle magazines in Liverpool.
He also just handed over a successful two year chairmanship in Gloucestershire with Cheltenham Regency Probus.
Pandemic aside, he spends his time equally between his city, Liverpool, and the county of his birth, Gloucestershire.
In this fast-paced present age, proof-reading is essential. And this skill also occasionally leads to copy-editing writers’ manuscripts for submission to publishers and also student and post graduate dissertations.
